Verifying citizenship

For years, our company has used the Social Security database to determine if employees have valid Social Security numbers. The system is simple and requires little effort. A telephone call to a toll-free number with four identifiers for the employee gets the job done. Social Security provides a response within a few seconds. We have had only one mismatch, and it was resolved very quickly in the employee's favor.

Before we started using the database, we sometimes hired employees, trained them and found out months later they did not have work authorization. Using the database we eliminated the problem of training an employee we later had to fire.

Also, we now tell prospective employees that their documentation will be checked with Social Security. If their documentation is not in order, they usually mutter some excuse, leave the premises and do not return. This step resolves most issues related to bogus documentation before an applicant is hired.

For us, the system has been effective in preventing undocumented workers from gaining employment using sham documents. It is simple, it is fast and it works. What's the problem?